Line clamp



y 0, 1930. I A. LE PAGE 1,759,485

LINE CLAMP Filed May 9, 1929 NVENTOR Albert L. LePa g e Wi ATTORNEY Patented May 20, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ALBERT L. LE race, on OAKVILLE, CONNECTICUT LINE CLAMP Application filed May 9,

This invention relates to .improvements in line clamps, and more particularly to a clamping device for detachably connecting a pair of lines, or the ends of asingleline. One object of this invention is to-provide a line clamp of the above nature adapted to bepermanently connected to one line and to be detachably connected to another line in such a waythatthe greater the tension in the line, the stronger will be the self-locking clamping efiect of the fastener.

' A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy tomanipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very eflicient and durable in use. I I x p f ,With these and other objects ,in view there have beenillustrated on the accompanying drawings two forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in, practice. Fig. 1 represents top plan view of the first form of line'clamp. I 1

Fig. 2'is' a side view of the same. I

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same.

Fig. lis a side sectional view'of the first form of'line clamp as it appears when attached to a pair of lines.

Fig. 5 is aside sectional view ofa portion of the line clamp with the lever plates in releasing position.

Fig. 6 is aperspective View of one of the lever plates as it appears before it has been assembled upon the U-shaped body member.

Fig. 7 is a side view on a reduced scale of a second form of line clamp asit appears when installed upon a tent line. g

Fig.8 is a side .view' on a reduced scale upon a clothes line. I a

Referring now to the drawings in wh ch like reference numerals denote. corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 indicates a U-shaped body memberl having a base 11 and a pair of upstanding side plates 12 and 13. The base 11 s provi'ded with a plurality [of transverselydisposed arcuate slots 14, three. in this instance, for receiving the T-shapedbases 15 of a 51ml- 7 a. ,lai number of lever plates 16.'

of the line clamp as it appears when in use 1929. Serial No. 361,591.

The .T-shaped bases 15 of the lever plates 2 16 have side lugs 17 connected to the body of said lever plate 16 by necks 18.. Before assembling the lever plates16 in the U-shaped body member 10 the lugs 17 of the T-shaped bases 15 are inclined at an angle, as shown lug 19 cut away at its sides to permit it to fit within one of ajplurality of circular apertures 20 in a flat connecting link 21 located ad acent the side plate 12, and as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the connecting link 21 is adapted to lie flush with the side edges of the lever plates 16 and causes saidiplates 16 to always remain in parallel relation. In order to securely retain the connecting link 21 in position, said link has a pair of outstanding pressed-out studs 21*, as clearly shown in Figspl, 2, and 3.

The side plates 13 and 14 of the U-shaped body member 10 have reduced ears 22 and 23 at one end, said-earsbeing apertured to pivotally receive the inturnedrextremities of a U-shaped bail 25 adapted to be permanently connected to one end ofa line 26,- as bysa knot27. i In order to grip the free end 'ofa line 28 at any desired adjusted position along its length, each-of the lever plates 16 has a pair V i of oppositely extending line-engaging jaws 29 and 30 struck up from a'central aperture 31;. E'achof thejaws 29'and 30 has an in j 'vertedV-shaped extremity so as to provide a pair of line-engaging prongs, and said j aws 29 and 30 are inclined at an angle of substan tially60degrees fromthe body of the lever plates 16. g Y .1 Operation 7 By means of this construction, when th' parallel lever plates 16 are in their extreme left haiud positions, as shown in Fig. 4,- the jaws 29 andBO will engage the top and bet tom'ot the line 28 and hold it tightly i1iposition. When, however, the lever plates 16 are in their extreme] right-handpositions, as

shown in'Fig; 5, the jaws 29 and 30 will lie in substantially horizontal parallel planes forming a flat smooth unobstructedchannel therebetween and permitting easy withdrawal of the free end of said line 28.

In the modified form of the invention ditional U -shaped bail 32ipivotally connected to the U-shaped body-member 10 attheopposite end of the clamp from the bail 25. When nsingthisforlnoflin'e clamp,' the'fixed end% of the line will "be permanently connected t the bail asf'be-foreand the line '20 33 will be connected as by a knot to the bail 32; *T-he free end 34 of theline 32 will be pas'sed over a pulley 35 attached to a tent 36. V The free -end-349Will then be drawn through' the apertures 29 in the lever plates 16.- 'W'hen the end 34 is pulled to the right, as viewedinFig; 7 ,the lever plates will swing to theposition shown in Fig. 5 andthe flat channel formed by'the'j-awsQQ and 30 will *lin'e clamp upon a clothes li-ne 26, the line is supportee by "a pair of-pul leys iii' and '38 p1votalily' attaehedby hooks 39 and to a pair of -postsel and 42.

While alert have been disclosed inthis specification t wo form s in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for-the purpose of illustration only a nd that the invention 1 is not togbe lim i'tedto the specificdisclosnres butmay be modified and-embodied in war'ious [other storms fvs'rithout" departing Ifro'mfits spirit. short, the-invention includes all the {modifications and embodimentsgcoming within the scope off the fol lowing claims.

Having this fully described the-invention,

what is claimed as new 'and for which 'fit isto desired to secureLetters Patent, is:

ber, means atone end of said body :member for permanent connection to a, line,' a lever plate pivoted to the base of said body inemt5 said lever plaite ha-ving an aperture 1 1' ber, means at one end of said body member r permit the cord'tojbe adjusted to any desired v1. In a line clamp, a' -u-s'haped body mem-n i S d level" P e g a Pdirgof disengaged therefrom when the tensionis released. V I

7 2. In a line clamp, a U-shaped body inember, means at oneend of said body member for permanent connection to a line, a lever plate pivoted to the base of saidbody member, said lever plate having an aperture for receiving a second line, and a pair of inclined oppositely extending clamping jaws disposediin vertical alinement at the ,itpper and loweredges of said aperture," said jaws. being adapted to engage saidsecond line when the latter is under tension, and to :be disengaged therefrom when the tension-is re-, leased5- 8. In .a line clamp, a ue'shapedbody memfor permanent connectionto a line, a lever plate pivoted to the'base'zofsaidbody member, said lever plate having an aperture for receiving a secondline, and a pair of oppositely extending clamping "jaws disposed. in vertical alinement at the upperfand lower edgesof said aperture, said jaws being adapted to engage said second line whenthe-latter is under tension, and to be disengaged therefrom when the 'tensionis released. I V v 4. In arl-ineclamp, a iu-shaped body mem-i ber, means at oneendiof said bodymember for permanent connectionto a line, a lever plate pivoted 'tothe base of said body member,

said lever plate having an aperture for receiving a second line, "and a pair of oppositely ext-ending clamping. jaws disposed at the upper and lower edges of said aperture,said jaws ibeingadapted to engage said second line when the latter is under tension, and to be disengaged therefrom when theitension is released. i a a V Y 5. In a line clamp, a U-shaped bodyq-men ber, meansior attaching said body member to-a line, and means foridetachablyconnect ing said body member to a secondline comprising a leverplat'e p'ivotally mounted on said body me1nber,.sai d lever'plate having a pair of inclined jaws adapted to'engage said second line when the lever' plateis in one extreme position andkto lie parallel with saidsecondline when the l'ever plate is in its other'extreme' position; 7 V a 6. In a line clamp, a bodymember having means for permanent attachment to a line,

a: lever plate pivotally connected tosaidbo'dy oppositely extending jaws'for. detachablyem' gagingopposite sides of a secondline WI T ris line when the lever plate is in another position.

' 7. In a line clamp, a body member having means for permanent attachment to a line, a plurality of lever plates pivotally connected to said body member, each of said lever plates having a pair of jaws for detachably engaging opposite sides of a second line when the lever plates are in one position, said jaws being out of engagement with said second line when the lever plates are in another position.

v8. In a line clamp, a U-shaped body member having means for permanent attachment to a line, a lever plate pivotally connected to said body member,said lever plate having a pair of jaws for detachably engaging 0pposite sides of a second line when the lever plate is in one position, said jaws being out of engagement with said second line when the lever plate is in another position, one side of said body member having a slot, and said lever plate having a locking base extending through said slot.

9. In a line clamp, a U-shaped body member having means for permanent attachment to a-line, a lever plate pivotally connected to said body member, said lever plate having a pair of jaws for detachably engaging opposite sides of a second line when the lever plate is in one position, said jaws being out of engagement with said second line when the lever plate is in another position, one side of said body member having an arcuate slot,and said lever plate having a locking base extending through said slot.

10. In a lineclamp, a U-shaped body mem-' ber having means for permanent attachment to a line,a lever plate pivotally connected to said body member, said ,lever plate having a pair of jaws for detachably engaging opposite sides of a second line when the lever plate isin one position, said jaws being out of engagement with said second line when the lever plate is in another position, one side of said body member having a slot, and said lever plate having a T-shaped locking base extending through said slot.

11. In a line clamp, a body member having means for permanent attachment to a line, a plurality of lever plates pivotally connected to said body member, each of said lever plates having a pair of jaws for detachably engaging opposite sides of a second line when the lever plates are in one position, said jawsbeing out of engagement with said sec 0nd line when the lever plates are in another position, said lever plates being maintained in parallelism by a connecting link.

12. In a line clamp, a body member having means for permanent attachment to a line, a plurality of lever plates pivotally connected t'osaid body member, each of said lever plates having a pair of j aws for detachably engaging opposite sides of a second line when the lever plates are in one position,

said jaws being out of engagement with,

said second ,line when the .lever plates are 1n another position, said lever plates having side lugs, and a link engaging each of said lugs for connecting said lever plates and causing them to remain parallel at all times. I 13. In a line clamp, a'body member havingmeans for permanent attachment to a line, a plurality of lever plates pivotally connected to said body member, each of said lever plates having a pair of jaws for detaehably engaging opposite sides of a second line when the lever plates are in one position, said jaws being out of engagement with said second line when the lever plates are in another position, saidlever plates having side lugs, and a link engaging each of said lugs for connecting said lever plates and causing them to remain parallel at all times, said link having projections to space it from the body member.

Iii-testimony whereof, I have afiiXed my signature to this specification.

ALBERT L. LE PAGE.

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